Nudge
'Nudge''' is one of the members of the Flock. She is 11 years old (eventually 12 in later books) and and of African-American descent. Her wings are tawny colored, as said by Max multiple times throughout the books. She is also much more girlish than Max, and enjoys clothing and fashion, doing her hair, music, movies, reading, and more. History Before The Angel Experiment It is unknown where Nudge was born (though in The Angel Experiment, she and Fang went to a town called Tipisco, Arizona, where she thought her parents lived). She had lived at the School until she was 6 or 7, and then been smuggled out by Jeb Batchelder along with the rest of the Flock. She lived with the Flock in their first house, where she shared a small bedroom with Angel, until she was 11. ''The Angel Experiment'' At the beginning of the series, Nudge is is an average preteen girl. She shares a bedroom with Angel in [[The Flock's first house|the E''-shaped house]]. After Angel is kidnapped, she is revealed to want to meet her family no matter what. She has learned from Jeb's old files that her real name is Monique and that her family may live in Tipisco, Arizona. She accompanies Max and Fang to search for Angel. After Max goes down to help Ella, she and Fang make camp at Lake Mead. She confesses about being jealous of the hawks and that though she's grateful for Max acting as her mom, she still wants to be able to meet her biological mother. While getting food, she notices that Tipisco is close by and goes there with Fang. They go to the address from Jeb's files and see a woman at that house. Nudge is unsure whether this woman is her mother, but before she can approach her, Ari shows up behind them with a group of Erasers. Fang and Nudge escape, though Fang is hurt badly. However, they are told that the rest of the Flock is dead and that they are "the last ones alive." They are also informed that their home in the mountains was burned down. As Fang and Nudge are feasting on kabobs they stole from "unexpecting campers," Gazzy and Iggy crash into their cave, confirming that the rest of the Flock is not entirely dead at least. Two days afterwards, Max arrives and the Flock minus Angel is back together. After trying to flee in a stolen car, they are captured by Erasers and dragged to the School, though Gazzy and Iggy manage to escape. Nudge, however, is captured and taken to the School, where she is kept in a dog cage. Gazzy and Iggy storm the place with hawks and rescue the group.. Once they are back in the air, Nudge is the first one to notice that Max is in extreme pain (the beginning of her headaches). They make camp, worried that Max would not be able to go any farther. They roast random things on sticks over a fire; Nudge tries to roast bananas (and fails). Soon after, Angel confesses that she heard things at the School about their parents and Nudge is eager to hear things about hers. It is revealed that the School told her mom and dad that she had died. After hearing this, she is very shocked and starts to speak in short sentences, shocking Max. When they go to the zoo, Nudge goes around telling Iggy about the things around them. Nudge enjoys buying food and visiting AFO Schmidt, a toy store. While hiding in Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Nudge prays about finding her parents and hopes that they will want and love her. Soon after, when they go into a restaurant named Garden Tavern, they all order large portions of food. Nudge orders two lasagna primaveras (with the salad and bread) along with some milk. As they are on the run from the press, they are invited to a makeover fest at U 'Do: Tomorrow's styles today. Nudge has her hair blow-dried and cut into layers with blond highlights. After a brush with Erasers at the beach, Nudge is present when Max kisses Fang. Nudge admits that she wants to know more about her mom, even if her mom doesn't want her anymore. Soon after they infiltrate the Institute, Nudge gains the power to hack any computer and temporarily gains the ability to see a person's emotions and become "one with the person." After freeing the crated mutants, they make camp in a part of New York called Staten Island and read the papers they printed out from the Institute. Nudge finds out that her name really is Monique and that everyone's address is near one another (Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C.). ''School's Out - Forever Nudge is not seriously hurt during the Flock’s next battle with Erasers, but seems to go into shock when she sees Fang's injuries. Max tells Nudge to hide with the younger kids while she goes with Fang to the hospital, but they refuse and tag along to the hospital. Nudge claims that Fang is “all of our brother's,” prompting Max to claim that they're all adopted siblings. While Max gives Fang a blood transfusion, the other kids are taken to a room with FBI agents and given trays of food. However, none of them eat until the agents prove that the food isn't poisoned. Like the other kids, when questioned by Sarah McCauley, Nudge gives a false name (Krystal) and pretends not to know anything about the School. They spend the night in Fang's hospital room; Gazzy offers to let the girls sleep on the bed, but like Max, Nudge is insulted by the idea that she's "too much of a cream puff to sleep on the floor." When they go to Anne Walker's house, Nudge is the most excited and talkative about it, admiring the sights and smells. When the files they took from the School turn out to be dead ends, Nudge is the most optimistic and takes disappointment well, even when Max decides to stop searching. When they are sent to school, Nudge complains that her uniform is "uncool" and makes her look like "prep school Barbie." While at school, she renames herself Tiffany-Krystal, and tells the teacher that she can’t spell. Nudge and the other young kids want to stay with Anne through Thanksgiving; she tells Max that she has made new friends and gets along well with the teacher. She’s later invited to a birthday party, and Anne promises to help her find an outfit that will hide her wings but still look normal. Nudge gets through their next fight with Erasers unharmed, although she complains that one tore her sweater. She is one of the most emotional when Iggy finds his parents, and is shocked when he’s unsure about staying with them. While camping in the swamp, Nudge is disgusted when Fang suggests that her food is raccoon or possum. She uses Bambi eyes to convince Max to take them to Disney World, and cries when they have to leave early. Shortly afterwards, she displays her knowledge of cars to repair a vehicle for the Flock. When they break into the Itex location in Florida, she accesses the computer and finds more information on her birth parents. Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports Nudge, Iggy and Gazzy are captured by the School and shocked by Angel's apparent betrayal. Like the others, Nudge is defiant towards their captors and teases Roland ter Borcht, claiming that one of her special skills is the ability to eat nine Snickers bars in one sitting without barfing. After the Flock escaped, Nudge goes with Max's mini-flock to Europe. While at Itexicon's main headquarters, she is startled to see her clone. The Final Warning Nudge is crying too hard at Ari's funeral to say much. While on the plane, Nudge manifests the ability to attract metal. She later uses this power to unlock a door. She gives Total advice on romancing Akila, telling him to act strong and silent. At one point she says that she feels more like a kid than a bird, and that she enjoys normal things like movies, music, and books. MAX Nudge is interested in the idea of acting or modeling, and disappointed when Max shoots the idea down. Although normally sweet and easygoing, she complains to Max after their meeting with the agents was over. Although she used to enjoy not going to school, Nudge now wants to learn at a normal school in a safe environment and expresses for the first time a desire to fit in with normal kids. She mentions cutting her wings off. She stays behind at the Day and Night School after the rest of the Flock leaves. As they travel and go through military training, the Flock members remark on how much they missed her. Meanwhile, Nudge loves attending school and learns more than she had "from weeks of watching TV." However, she soon realizes how much she misses the Flock and worries about Dr. Martinez, so she follows them, meeting up with them about the same time that Gazzy was stung by jellyfish. When talking to Max in the hospital, she seems embarrassed by the idea that she'd suggested cutting off her wings. While on the sub, Nudge resews her khaki uniform's neckline and moves the buttons to look more stylish. FANG Upon their return from Chad, Max declares that the Flock would now be homeschooled. The kids, even Nudge - who loves learning - quickly tire of this program. Although Max knows Nudge as the peacemaker and her strongest supporter, even Nudge protests that going to school would be a better way to learn. They then celebrate their birthdays, with Nudge turning twelve. She has been hiding souvenirs from Europe and New York, and now uses them as birthday presents. She gives Max a picture frame covered in shells and beads. Nudge receives a necklace made by Angel, fudge from Iggy, and a tattoo certificate from Max. She can't decide on what to get, considering a unicorn, heart, or rainbow. When the Flock votes Max out, Nudge votes against Max, although she seemed torn over it. As leader, Angel has the Flock go public and talk to reporters. Nudge seems to enjoy the attention, but after she and the others succumb to poisoning, Max and Fang return to the Flock. ANGEL After Fang leaves, Max goes into a fetal position for 24 hours, until Nudge calls Dr. Martinez for help. Dr. Martinez begins teaching Nudge to bake chocolate-chip cookies, which she asks Max to taste-test. Nudge travels with the others to check on a lead. In the plane crash, Nudge is thrown loose and falls, later needing eighty-seven stitches and being covered in bandages. She and most of the others go back to the house while Max and Dylan investigate. When they returned, Nudge reports to them that Ella and Iggy are acting odd. Nudge later hacks into Ella's phone to find encrypted information on the Doomsday Group. She mentions that it's weird that both they and Fang are going to California to investigate the Doomsday Group. Nevermore When attending Newton, she's eager to hang out with the popular girls and talk about fashion and celebrities. She, Iggy and Gazzy spy on Max and Dylan's treehouse date. She goes on a date to the movies with an older student named Sloan. Nudge likes him, but during the date, she, Sloan, Max, and Dylan are attacked by Ari's clone. Afterwards, the unnerved Sloan publicly calls her a freak and leaves her alone in the parking lot. Gossip soon began all over Twitter and Facebook and other students treat Nudge like an outcast. Heartbroken, Nudge refuses to leave her room. Max tries to comfort her and convince her to move on, but Nudge swears that one day would cut off her wings to be normal. On Paradise, Nudge is excited and talkative about the beauty of the island. She immediately flies into her treehouse, the most chic out of the village. At the waterfall, surrounded by other mutants, Nudge finally seems self-confident and comfortable in her own skin. During the Apocalypse, Nudge takes shelter with the rest of the Flock in the underground caves. Maximum Ride Forever Months after the Apocalypse, Nudge is living with the Flock on the surface of the ruined island, with no mention of how she got out of the caves. She has grown to about six feet tall. After leaving the island, the Flock is attacked by Cryenas, which scar Nudge's face. When the Flock breaks up, she and Total are the only ones to stay with Max. However, Nudge and Max fight, with Nudge calling Max self-centered. After they are captured by the kids living in the underwater caves, Nudge decides to stay there along with Total. Nudge takes daily swims in the lake to practice swimming and breathing underwater while everyone else goes out hunting. She’s enjoying the peaceful environment and her ambition is to be known as the “Flying Fish” by the end of the summer. The Horseman takes her off guard and pins her under the water, where she can see his face. While he reports back, he leaves her body lying on a ledge where the camera can see her lying still as Total licks her face. Rumors of her death spread as a result, but it is later revealed that Dylan faked her death. When the Flock is reunited in Russia, she’s the first person Max hugs. Appearance Nudge has curly brown hair (it is straightened and part of it is highlighted blonde during a makeover in The Angel Experiment) and brown eyes. (Max said several times that she has the potential to become a model.) She is tall, like all of the bird kids. By the time of the final book, she has reached six feet tall. Her wings have a wingspan of 10 feet. Angel described Nudge's wings as similar to a pheasant's. In the manga, however, her wings are white. In the Marvel comics series, where the wings appear smaller and more mechanical in nature, Nudge's wings are tinged pink. Her wings are not shown in the movie adaptation. Abilities Psychometry Nudge develops psychometric powers within the course of the first book. Despite its usefulness, this ability does have some drawbacks, as she appears to feel very strong emotions whenever she touches something that has generated great sadness or if many people have touched it. (e.g. When Nudge went to the Vietnam Memorial on a field trip in School's Out - Forever, she made the mistake of touching the Wall and almost doubled over.) Hacking Also in The Angel Experiment, Nudge began to develop computer hacking skills. These have been used multiple times throughout the course of the series. Magnetism In the fourth book, The Final Warning, Nudge develops the ability to attract metal to her at will. Personality Nudge is a loving, extremely fashion-filled, strong, fierce, stubborn, beautiful, fascinating, breathtaking, motor-mouthed person. It is said in The Angel Experiment that she has the potential to "turn Mother Teresa into an axe murderer". It is also said that she seems to burn through calories faster than anyone, except the Gasman, and that she was a really slow walker. Trivia *She is frightened of rats. *Her favorite drinks are Barq's and Jolt. *She loves talking, as mentioned in many books. *Her first words in the mornings when she wakes up are predictably, "I'm hungry." *Nudge's real name is Monique. She has also had the aliases of Krystal/Tiffany-Krystal, Jessica Miranda Alicia Tangerine Butterfly, and Cinnamon Allspice La Fever. *Nudge found a video of her parents in School's Out - Forever, where it seems to suggest they died; they were possibly killed by someone associated with Itexicon or the School. *In Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports, she tells Roland ter Borcht that she once ate 9 Snickers bars in one sitting without barfing as one of the other "skills" she has. *She and Kate are the only mutants with dialogue who are not Caucasian. *Nudge is the only member in the flock who wishes to be normal, while the others don't really care. **In Nevermore, she is said to have had a 12-step daily beauty process. *She is featured on the fourth volume of the Maximum Ride graphic novel series by NaRae Lee. 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